IMPACTS OF PARTICIPATION IN HMONG AS WORLD LANGUAGE CLASSES ON OUTCOMES FOR HMONG AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS William Vang B.A., California State University, Sacramento, 1993 M.A., California State University, Sacramento, 1999 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirement for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION in EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP at CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO SPRING 2012 Copyright © 2012 William Vang ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii IMPACTS OF PARTICIPATION IN HMONG AS WORLD LANGUAGE CLASSES ON OUTCOMES FOR HMONG AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS A Dissertation by William Vang Approved by Dissertation Committee: Rosemary Blanchard, Ph.D., Committee Chair Nadeen T. Ruiz, Ph.D. Ka Va, Ed.D. SPRING 2012 iii IMPACTS OF PARTICIPATION IN HMONG AS WORLD LANGUAGE CLASSES ON OUTCOMES FOR HMONG AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Student: William Vang I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this dissertation is suitable for shelving in the library and credit is to be awarded for the dissertation. , Director Carlos Nevarez, Ph.D. Date iv DEDICATION For my parents, Nom Yeeb Vaj (Nao Ying Vang) and Maiv Yaj (Mai Yang), who first believed in the value of formal schooling and who helped to build the very first elementary school in our village in the high mountain of Laos and had to work hard to send me to school at the age of seven and For my wife, Maiv Xis Lauj (See Lor), for her love, her continued support for my education and for my three children: Ntsa Iab (Victoria), Tswj Fwm (Patrick) and Nkauj Hlub (Sage), for their love, support, and understanding v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I made the decision to leave my job of ten years as a Student Achievement Specialist to pursue my doctoral degree not because I wanted to do less, but because I wanted to do more than just waiting for someone else to present me with ideas and assignments that have very little impact on student learning and achievement. I entered the program with high hopes of beginning a new chapter in my professional career, pursuing what I enjoy most; creating quality and equitable educational opportunities for students where they can learn and discover the joy of learning through knowing who they are so that they can succeed in school and in life. My journey through the Doctorate Educational Leadership and Policy Studies took me through various roadblocks and hardships that left me feeling disappointed, frustrated, and uncertain at time. For instance, during the program, my wife and I were pleasantly surprised by the arrival of our little girl, Skyla KaShia Vang, after fifteen years. Unfortunately, she left us just as unexpectedly as she had come to us; she was a great loss. As my doctoral studies continued, there were other challenges such as the costs, personal and financial of pursuing such an all-consuming goal, took their toll on both me and my family. I knew the research I wanted to do and the situation I wanted to study, but I struggled to find the proper guidance and support for my vision. I knew that there was an important story of resiliency and cultural renewal taking place around the Hmong as World Language program, which I had helped to initiate before beginning my doctoral vi studies. Yet, it was not clear to me how the tools of academic research and writing that I was learning could be adapted to study that story. This uncertainty as to method and approach ultimately caused some delays and more than a little discouragement. Dr. Rosemary Blanchard (Doctoral Dissertation Committee Chair) could not have come into my life at a better time. She was extremely knowledgeable about how to turn stories into data and she shared my vision of education for Hmong Americans. Dr. Blanchard took me under her wings and began supporting and guiding me in a direction that was purposeful, meaningful, and helpful for conducting my research and creating my study. She had high expectations of me and made me work extremely hard. She did not let up; yet she never left me to sink or swim on my own. She spent countless hours and late nights, way past midnight, helping me to organize my ideas and reading and editing my work. Just as important, she knew when to let go, because she understood that this was a Hmong story that only a Hmong American scholar could fully develop. Through a combination of hands-on mentoring and hands-off non-interference, she molded me into that scholar. Both I and this study have benefitted from her profound support, guidance, understanding, and wisdom. I thank her with all my heart for believing in me and for seeing the beauty of the students in this story of the Hmong as World Language class. I am forever indebted to her. Thanks to Dr. Nadeen T. Ruiz (Committee Member), for her support and guidance through this process as well. I appreciate her time and effort in editing and reading the chapters of my research study. I value her input, contribution, support, and vii guidance as a committee member and as a teacher. Dr. Ruiz introduced me to the important field of bilingual multicultural education when I first entered the field of teaching and taught me to dream big for the students from our Hmong community. Thank you for believing in me and hanging in there with me until the end. Thanks to Dr. Ka Va (Committee Member) for his encouragement and support. I appreciate his time and effort in reading and editing my research study, especially, with the Hmong bilingual translation embedded in some of the chapters. Both Dr. Va and I completed a part of our higher education journey together as students at California State University Sacramento, learning about the culture of higher education in the United States. He completed his doctoral education earlier than I did and has already become a visionary leader in the field of Hmong education and Hmong studies. I am grateful to have him as a committee member and as friend. I have known Dr. Harold Murai since my undergraduate studies. I am just one of the many students that he has inspired and supported. He was a wonderful adviser and mentor. I am where I am today because of his support and understanding. I appreciate his time and effort in reading and editing my research study late into the night. My request for his support came at such short notice; however, he was kind enough to take time from his very busy schedule to support me. I thank him for his expertise, undying support, and for also believing in me and being there for me. I came to know Dr. Virginia Dixon when I took an educational leadership class taught by her. She was encouraging and supportive, always telling me to not give up viii while visiting me often in Dr. Blanchard‘s office. Thanks for being a source of strength and encouragement and for believing in my study. I appreciate Dr. Carlos Nevarez, Director of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership Program at Sacramento State for referring me to individuals who had the capacity to support me and guide me. I am grateful for his leadership. Thank you to each and every one of my cohort members. It has been a wonderful and most fulfilling journey. I appreciate all the support and encouragement and the lasting friendships that we have built with each other. I am proud and happy to have known all of them. I could not have done this research study without the contributions of the Hmong bilingual teachers at BB High School. Their stories of their experiences teaching Hmong as World Language courses provided invaluable data and information for this research study. I value their time, effort, and willingness to participate and contribute their knowledge through a very rich set of interviews. I thank them for trusting me and allowing me to share their students‘ stories and work. I also thank them for their continuing outstanding work as teachers of the Hmong language in a public high school setting. They are helping to prepare the next generation of young Hmong American leaders who will make their mark in the larger American society and help to build a culturally strong, caring and prosperous Hmong American community. Their work and contributions to this research study will not be forgotten. ix Thank you to the young Hmong American high school graduates who shared so much of themselves through this study. Without them, this research would not have been possible. Without their stories, no one would know their struggles, challenges, aspirations, dreams, and triumph as they learned and achieved in school and as they have grown even closer to their traditions, their families and their community. Also, without this young group of storytellers, no one would know how effective and important the Hmong as World Language courses are for all the Hmong American children in this country. I appreciate their contributions to this study. I also appreciate the contributions they are already making to the Hmong American community, their enthusiasm for continuing their education and the goals they are setting for themselves and their families. I hope that other Hmong American students will read or hear about their stories and realize what is possible for them as well. You can be successful in school and in life and you can celebrate your Hmong heritage – your language, your history, your culture, and your families while you grow. Thanks to Hmong University Student Association (HUSA) at Sacramento State University for allowing me to network with other fellow HUSA members.